diff --git a/code/game/events/Events/RadiationBelt.dm b/code/game/events/Events/RadiationBelt.dm
index ba68bf6952b..15b1e755942 100644
--- a/code/game/events/Events/RadiationBelt.dm
+++ b/code/game/events/Events/RadiationBelt.dm
@@ -1,11 +1,24 @@
 /datum/event/radiation
-	Lifetime = 10
+	var/current_iteration = 0
+
+	// 1 minute lifetime
+	Lifetime = 60
 	Announce()
 		command_alert("The station is now travelling through a radiation belt", "Medical Alert")
 
 	Tick()
-		for(var/mob/living/carbon/L in world)
-			L.apply_effect(rand(4,10), IRRADIATE)
+		current_iteration++
+
+		// start radiating after 20 seconds grace period
+		if(current_iteration > 20)
+			for(var/mob/living/carbon/L in world)
+				// check whether they're in a safe place
+				// if they are, do not radiate
+				var/turf/T = get_turf(L)
+				if(T && istype(T.loc, /area/maintenance))
+					continue
+
+				L.apply_effect(rand(4,10), IRRADIATE)
 
 	Die()
 		command_alert("The station has cleared the radiation belt", "Medical Alert")
diff --git a/html/changelog.html b/html/changelog.html
index 0c67f22c8b4..a061e28babb 100644
--- a/html/changelog.html
+++ b/html/changelog.html
@@ -58,6 +58,14 @@ should be listed in the changelog upon commit though. Thanks. -->
 
 <!-- To take advantage of the pretty new format (well it was new when I wrote this anyway), open the "add-to-changelog.html" file in any browser and add the stuff and then generate the html code and paste it here -->
 
+<div class="commit sansserif">
+	<h2 class="date">9 July 2012</h2>
+	<h3 class="author">CIB updated:</h3>
+	<ul class="changes bgimages16">
+		<li class="tweak">Maintenance shafts are now safe places in the event of a radiation belt. This feature may be temporary until a better solution is found.</li>
+	</ul>
+</div>
+
 <div class="commit sansserif">
 	<h2 class="date">5 July 2012</h2>
 	<h3 class="author">Cael_Aislinn updated:</h3>